Better evidence for smarter evidence-based innovation policy

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Appel à Communications: Les relations industrielles dans un monde du travail en mutation

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cc-EXPAR - Competence Centre in Experimental and Participatory Research

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Better evidence for smarter evidence-based innovation policy

Return migration could fuel development if policy catches up

Publication

LISER Policy Lab

1 SEPT 2026

Up to half of migrants eventually return home, bringing savings, skills and networks — but only smart policy turns that into real development.

A new LISER Policy Brief shows that one in four migration journeys ends in a return home, and this brings real opportunity: savings, new skills, fresh ideas, and international connections that can strengthen communities and economies alike. But these benefits are not automatic — they depend on the welcome and support returnees receive.

The study findings suggest that return migration could contribute more effectively to development if certain conditions are in place. These include simplifying business registration procedures and improving access to credit to support productive investments by returnees, developing labour-market programmes that recognise skills acquired abroad and facilitate matching with suitable opportunities, and strengthening the collection of more comprehensive and systematic data to better identify community needs.

The study also highlights the importance of involving returnees and affected communities in policy design to ensure that measures are informed by their experiences and needs.

— combining hard evidence with lived experience to ensure support is relevant and fair. Sustained, collaborative effort between researchers and policymakers, paired with ongoing evaluation, is what will turn good intentions into lasting, measurable progress for everyone involved.